The Secretive Duet
by Kahoko Hino
Summary: Kahoko rushes in to find Len sitting down against the wall. She dabs at his face with her handkerchief, and tells him she will go call a doctor, but he grabs hold of her wrist and tells her not to make a fuss. Struggling to break free, Kahoko tells Len


The secretive duet

Kahoko is outside in the garden trying to practice, but only scratchy playing emits from the violin, and she stops practicing because she can't concentrate. Her heart and feelings aren't in tune with the violin and the music, so she can't produce any good music. Remembering what Len said to her the night before, Kahoko worries that maybe he found out about the magic violin. She remembers that Lili said that the violin is magic and anyone can play it, Kahoko sighs and tells herself that she is doing her best but she's ultimately leaving it up to the magic of the violin.

Kahoko suddenly rises, realizing she's been blabbering and starts playing once more, only to produce more scratchy music. In the kitchen, Ryoutarou finds Len reading a note Kanazawa-sensei left them saying explaining that he, Tomida, Kahoko, Shoko, and Keiichi left to shop for dinner, but left food their lunch. Ryoutarou leaves to find Kazuki and Azuma, leaving Len to heat up the food. At the souvenir shop, Kahoko helps Keiichi choose teacups to buy for his parents. She finds out that Keiichi heard her practice that morning. Straight faced and very forward, Keiichi tells her that it sounded quite horrible.

Keiichi tells her that when he plays, he doesn't want to do anything else but play. Kahoko is shocked, and Keiichi tells her that when his hands play skillfully a beautiful sound comes out. Kahoko is touched when he tells her that he thinks it would always be good to play with such an ideal sound. Heading home, Kahoko tells herself she can't keep relying on the magic violin, but to practice and raise her own skills so she can become closer to being real. Much to Azuma and Kazuki's surprise, Ryoutarou is cooking frying rice in the kitchen. Ryoutarou is angry with Len for putting the lunch food in the oven, instead of heating it on the stove, causing Len to burn it.

At the table, Ryoutarou is complemented for his cooking as well as his piano playing. Ryoutarou is shocked when he finds out from Azuma that Len's mother is the famous pianist, Misa Hamai. Opening the fridge, Kazuki grabs a water bottle and drinks thirstily, mistaking Kahoko's water bottle with his own. Carrying shopping bags into the villa, Kahoko can't see where she is walking. As the bags are about to tip over, Kazuki and Ryoutarou lift them out of her arms. Kazuki, nervous and afraid of her reaction, blurts out to Kahoko how he spilt the contents of her bottle, a lie to cover how he drank from her bottle.

Totally confused, Kahoko forgives him but asks why did it spill, and Kazuki finds himself trapped and out of an excuse. He quickly excuses himself to bring the bag to the kitchen and rushes off. A child is playing the violin beautifully; surrounding adults watching him and complementing him, saying that he must take after his father. Putting her hands on the boys' shoulders, a woman tells him that music is something he has to enjoy and make other people enjoy, and a man pats the boy on the head and says that just skill isn't enough. The child watches his parents with sad eyes, as they play the violin and piano sweetly and gently in all respects.

Len awakes from his dream in a dark practice room. As he stands up, he hears the soothing tone of a violin playing from outside. Out on the balcony, Len sees Kahoko playing below him. Realizing that her playing is also heartwarming in all respects, Len begins to play, harmonizing with Kahoko. Kahoko looks up, shocked to see that it is Len, but continues to play. After they finish, Kahoko asks Len if he thinks a beautiful sound just came out, but stops, seeing a tender, almost vulnerable look on Len's face, before he turns and goes back inside. As they're about to leave the villa, Azuma and Len ask Kanazawa-sensei to tell them the second selection's theme as he said he would on the final day of the training camp.

Kanazawa-sensei concedes, and announces that the theme of the second selection is, "Something to believe in." At school, rumors that Len's parents are coming to the second selection are in the air. Len is even stopped by Kyouto-sensei, who asks him whether his mother will be returning for the second selection, to which Len replies that a letter came saying that she would be returning the day before. Len sees Kahoko, who is about to enter a practice room, and asks her how long she has been playing the violin. He explains that he heard that she just started, but he was wondering how it could really be possible and wants to know the truth.

Before Kahoko can answer, Nami flings herself at Len saying that she wanted comments from the first selection victor, and she also has questions about his family, interrupting them. Replying that he has no obligation to answer, Len turns away and enters a practice room. Knowing Nami wants comments from her too, Kahoko distracts her by pointing out Azuma, who is standing outside. Nami comments that Azuma is too perfect that conversely, it's suspicious. Practicing once more, Kahoko can't figure out why she can't play like when she played with Len. Lili appears and tells Kahoko that she has slowly improved.

Kahoko brightens a little bit upon hearing this, and Lili tells her to keep trying and do her best before disappearing. Putting away her violin, Kahoko worries about choosing a piece and finding a new accompanist. As Kahoko is about to leave, to her surprise, Len opens the door and almost running into her. Hearing Nami calling him, he jumps in the room, closing the door behind him. Kahoko is about to confront him, when he covers her mouth from behind to silence her and carefully peers through the door's window. Kahoko is shocked and embarrassed at the situation. Nami walks off, giving up on finding Len, and Len finally lets Kahoko go.

Kahoko turns around asking Len what he just did. He doesn't answer, but rudely asks her if she's done practicing, and asks her to leave. Angry, Kahoko storms out. Fuming about Len's behavior, Kahoko wonders why Len couldn't have just asked nicer. Noticing her face is still hot, Kahoko stops, realizing something. Kahoko runs back to the practice room. Kahoko remembers feeling Len's cold hand once before, but this time it was just burning hot. Looking into the practice room through the window in the door, Kahoko spots Len's legs. She rushes in to find Len slumped on the ground, against the wall.

She wipes his face with her handkerchief, but when she tries to leave to get a doctor, he grabs hold of her wrist and tells her not to make a fuss. Kahoko struggles at first to break free, but when she sees his fevered face she stops. Sitting down beside him, she blushes, noticing his hand still on hers. Len suddenly leans over and rests his head on Kahoko's shoulder and Kahoko is even more embarrassed and confused at the feelings she's having.


End file.
